Texas Tranquility OneShot
by BBSapphire24
Summary: When an old friend of Rose's, Jasper's sister, returns to their lives a night of celebration and fun is due. But what happens when something other than the drinks is stirred? A one-shot for the For The Love of Jasper Contest.


"**For the Love of Jasper" One-Shot Contest **

**Title: Texas Tranquility**

**Pen name: JessScript24**

**Existing work: Undisclosed Desires**

**Primary Players: Jasper Hale and Bella Swan**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight, I'm just having some fun with the characters.**

**To see other entries in the "For the Love of Jasper" contest, please visit the C2:  
www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/community/For_the_Love_of_Jasper_Contest/72564/**

Sundays were one of my favorite days of the week for so many reasons.  I went fishin' every Sunday with Pops; it was the most relaxin' thing in the world with the quiet and peaceful settin', and, since we were up at 5am to leave, we got to see the sunrise. It never failed: when the sun was risin' and settin', the sky on fire with oranges and pinks, I would just get lost watchin' the changes. It's an unforgettable sight.  The other reason for lovin' Sundays was that it was our family dinner night. No matter what any of us were doin', we all came together on Sundays and ate dinner together. We were a close family, but, with all our different schedules, spendin' time together was difficult.

"Ready, Son?" my dad asked. Never fails how quickly time passes when you're enjoyin' somethin'.

"Yea, Pops." I grabbed my tackle box, and we headed up the trail to the truck and back home.

Momma would have lots of things for us to do, and, when I say us, I mean me. Pops usually watched some kind of sports game while I helped with whatever Momma needed. Rosalie was up at school in Lancaster, so she usually didn't show up till a little bit later, which left me to help out, and there was no arguin' about that.

For the most part, I didn't mind helpin' her out with whatever she needed. She enjoyed our time together, and I couldn't deny her that. It was only when she started askin' about my "love life" that it became a little tiresome.

"So, baby, meet any nice girls lately?" Momma asked while she peeled potatoes.

"No, Momma, you know that. Besides, I don't have much time, what with work and all, " I answered, feeling exasperated. We'd been over this way too many times.

"There's always time, Jasper, and sometimes it can happen most unexpectedly," she said matter-of-factly and raised a knowin' eyebrow.

"I know, Momma, I know. Is there anythin' else you need help with in here?" I asked as I put the potatoes we had peeled into the sink.

"No, honey. Thank you. Rosalie should be here in a little bit, so she can help me finish up. Go and get yourself cleaned up."

With that, I headed upstairs to shower and change. I had been feeling stressed, so I was lookin' forward to a nice hot shower. I grabbed some clothes from my dresser and headed into the bathroom.  I turned the water on, lettin' it heat up while I washed my face in the sink. When I looked up into the mirror and saw my reflection, I almost didn't recognize myself; the bags under my eyes made me look tired. I ran my fingers over my forehead, where the worry lines were prominent, and sighed. I stared at my reflection as the bathroom filled up with steam. When the mirror finally fogged over, I snapped out of it and stepped into the shower.

The hot water hittin' my shoulders was instantly relaxin'; I let it run down my arms and back for a minute before leanin' my head under the flow of the water. I closed my eyes and focused on nothin' but the warmth of the water on my skin. I could've stayed there for hours, but water was not to be wasted, so I quickly washed my hair and body before climbin' out into the still-hazy bathroom. I toweled off, changed and headed back downstairs. As soon as I was at the bottom step, Momma called to me, askin' me to close up the horse stalls and leave some carrots out for their supper.

I headed out to the stalls and did as I was asked. As I was headin' back towards the house, I saw a cloud of dust on the road and knew Rose was here. Shortly after, she flew into the driveway with her new BMW, in a rush as usual. That woman was never on time for anything. I laughed to myself, and Rose apparently heard.

"And what's so funny, huh?" Rose asked as she closed her door and headed over to me.

"The fact that you can never be on time for anything," I stated simply with a smile on my face.

Rose shook her head and laughed. "How are you, Jazz?" she asked as she wrapped me into a hug.

"I'm okay. Miss ya 'round here, but, other than that, I'm good." I gave her a squeeze just to reinforce my point. I did miss Rose. It wasn't the same without her here; it was much too quiet and I didn't have my little sister around to tease. She was growin' up.

"Aww ... Jazzy misses me?" She gave me her innocent smile and batted her eyelashes at me. As much as she played it off, I knew she missed bein' home, but Rosie was a tough girl and would never admit it; she was good at avoidance.

"Don't pull that innocent shit with me, Rosie. I know better." I gave her a pointed look. "Now come on, let's get inside. You have to help Momma finish up with dinner."

We headed inside, and Rose headed straight for the livin' room to say hi to "Daddy" and then to the kitchen to help finish everythin' up. I stayed in the livin' room and watched TV with Pops. I honestly couldn't tell you what we watched, since I wasn't payin' attention, and, with their usual perfect timin', Rose and Momma called us to dinner just before Pops and I had a chance to fall asleep.

We got to the dinner table and all sat down. Rosie was bouncin' in her chair all throughout the prayer, and it was obvious she had somethin' to share. I hadn't seen her that excited over somethin' in a really long time. I apparently wasn't the only one who noticed, because Pops obviously couldn't handle the bouncin'.

"Rosalie, what is wrong with you? Stop bouncin' around and calm down!" he commanded in his stern "Rosalie" voice, which actually wasn't very stern at all.

"Sorry, Daddy. I just have some news that I'm _really_ excited about," Rosie told us, still bouncin' in her chair. I rolled my eyes. I swear, whenever she was excited or around Pops, she became a little girl again.

"Well, honey, what news has got you so excited? Spill already!" Momma asked, probably thinkin' Rosie met someone.

_Could that be it? I hadn't heard anythin' about a guy, and I just talked to Rose on Friday.... _

"Okay, do you remember my friend Isabella? She moved away when we were really young?" Rosie asked, mainly to Momma.

"That's the one you've been writin' with for so long, right?" Momma asked in a lovin' and appreciative tone.

_I know Rose has been writin' a friend, but why do I feel like I'm not in the know? _

Rosie nodded, just as Pops asked, "So, what has Isabella been up to, and how is she doin'? I hope you've been sendin' her our love."

"I have, Daddy, but she's actually not doin' all that great at the moment. She's been havin' a tough time with school out in Phoenix, and her mom's been drivin' her crazy. So, we were talking... and... I may have asked her to come live with me...?" Rosie finished, lookin' a little apprehensive. Her head flipped from side to side between Momma and Pops, tryin' to gauge their reactions.

"I think that's a great idea, Rose!" an overly excited Momma said.

"Wait, so you asked Isabella, who you haven't seen in eleven years, to come live with you?" I asked, all the worst case scenarios runnin' through my head.

"Yes!" Rosie replied like I asked the dumbest fuckin' question in the world.

I looked at Pops to see what he thought. From his facial expression, he must've seen where I was goin' with this.

"Have you heard back from Isabella yet, Rose?" Pops asked.

"Not yet, but she said she would call me tonight to let me know, and she knows I am here tellin' all of you about our plan," Rosie said, as she pulled out her phone and started textin'.

"Rosalie! You know how I feel about phones at the dinner table!" Pops scolded.

"I know, Daddy, but I'm just lettin' Isabella know that I told you, so she knows she can call whenever she's ready. Wouldn't you prefer she calls while I am here, y'all? That way you could all say hello yourselves!"

Rosie was workin' Pops like she usually does, typical daddy's little girl that she is.

"Am I the only one who is even considerin' that this might not be the best idea in the world?! I mean, you haven't seen this girl in eleven years! A lot can change in eleven years. Yes, you've been writin' letters and kept in touch, but ... I mean ..." I trailed off, rubbin' the back of my neck. I don't know why I was feelin' so uneasy about this.

_I don't remember much about Isabella from when she lived here, but this is Rosie! As much as I trust her to make good decisions, I can't help but worry about her._

_GOD! What am I talkin' about? This is Isabella! It's like she's been here without physically bein' here for the last eleven years. I need to get a grip and calm down._

"Jazzy, I know you're worried, and I expected that, but trust me on this, okay?" Rosie calmed me just as her phone started goin' off.

_**I dug my key into the side**_

_**Of his pretty, little, souped-up**__**four wheel**__**drive**_

_**Carved my name into his leather seat**_

_**I took a Louisville slugger to both headlights**_

_**Slashed a hole in all**__**four**__**tires**_

_**Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats**_

I proudly smirked at my sister as her ring tone song went off, while Momma and Pops rolled their eyes.

"Hello?"

"_Hey, Rose, it's Bella." _Rose put Bella on speaker phone so we could all hear.

"How are ya, lady?"

"_Okay, the usual, you know. So, you're at Sunday dinner with the family?"_

"Yea, I'm actually sittin' at the table with them now. Oh, FYI you're on speaker," Rosie giggled.

"_I am? Okay, hi everyone. I got your text about telling them. How'd they feel about it?"_

We all said hello to Isabella before Rosie continued talking.

"Yeah, I told them and they're all really excited," Rosie said, givin' me a pointed look.

"_Well, I guess that makes it final. I'm moving out to Texas!"_

"Really?" she squealed.

"_Really, Rose!" _Isabella laughed at Rosie's excitement.

"That's so great! Do you know when you're gonna come out?"

"_Not sure. Renee and Phil should be back sometime tonight, so I'll talk to them, and then probably drive out on Thursday night...?"_

"That sounds great! How long will the drive take you?"

"_Probably about eighteen hours or so, depending on how many times I gotta stop."_

"Are you sure you want to drive alone? I mean, it's a long way to come."

"_Yeah, I'll be fine." _Momma had a worried look on her face, and Pops was now leanin' forward in his chair, I'm assumed gettin' anxious after hearing what was goin' on.

"As long as you're sure. Just call me and let me know when you leave, and then call me again on the way, k?"

"_Of course. I'll call to let you know when I leave, and I'll check in on my way. I'll let ya know when I'm close, too."_

"Great! We'll see you then! Call me in the meantime if you need anythin'!"

"She means that, Isabella. You need _anything_,you call either Rose or me. We're all so excited to see you, honey! Have a safe drive, and we'll see you soon," Momma added.

"_I will. Thanks so much for everything, really. You're a lifesaver, Rose! I can't wait to see you, all of you!" _Rose got a huge smile on her face.

"I know, me too! It's been so long!" She looked around at all of us; you could see the hint of sadness behind the enthusiasm on her face.

In that moment, I knew how much this meant to Rosie, and that this was probably the best thing for the two of them. In that one expression, I saw how much she missed her best friend. Rosie had come to me over the years when things got tough for her, and after hashin' out the latest problem or drama, she usually ended up in tears and tellin' me how much she missed Isabella. She's got girlfriends, but apparently none of 'em compare to Isabella, which was always a little hard for me to understand, but I've also only ever seen the smile that lights up her face when she talks to or about Isabella. Those two obviously needed each other, and I would do whatever I could to help out my lil' sister and her best friend.

Rosie had hung up and was talkin' to Momma and Pops. I missed some of the conversation in my revelation, but it didn't sound like I missed anythin' important.

"She's gonna drive out here, leave on Thursday night, and get here sometime late Friday afternoon. I was thinkin' we could stay here for the weekend, since I know she would like to see ya'll, and I'm sure you wanna see her too." She still had a hint of sadness to her tone and I hated that shit.

"Rosie, why are you sad? Shouldn't you be happy she's comin' out here?" I asked.

"I am, Jazzy. I just feel so bad. She's really had it tough these last few years. I know Renee doesn't mean to, but she puts a lot of pressure on her. Then she just up and leaves her to follow Phil around. Isabella hasn't been happy at school, and, though Renee has tried to be there, she just doesn't really have time, and Isabella refuses to put her problems on Renee. She doesn't want to burden her, so she's been dealin' with all of this, for the most part, by herself and it's taken a toll on her. I just want her out here already, so I can hug her and get my best friend back," she explained with a sad smile.

Momma grabbed Rosie's hand. "Oh honey, that's so sad! Well, no worries. You two can spend the weekend here; I'll make up the guest room with fresh linens and towels." I could tell Momma was already makin' a mental list of things to do.

"Does Isabella have a reliable car to make that kind of drive, Rose?" Of course that's the first thing Pops asks or worries about.

"She seems to think so. She drives a Chevy pick-up." Rosie gave Pops a knowing look, and he seemed to be as impressed as I was.

We finished up dinner, talkin' more about Isabella's arrival and how she was gettin' here, makin' sure every point was covered. Rosie assured us that she and Isabella had everythin' covered and taken care of. With that, her and Momma cleaned everythin' up and did the dishes, while Pops fell asleep on the couch watchin' TV as usual, and I headed out to the porch with my beer and enjoyed the fresh air outside. Rosie joined me after a while, with two beers in hand. She handed me one and sat down beside me.

We sat together for hours, chattin' about life and things that were goin' on with each other. Eventually, she headed back to Lancaster after our discussion.

I stayed, sittin' on the porch, feelin' calmer and a little more relaxed. Rosie always had a way of calmin' me without even knowin' it. I loved spendin' time with her, and watchin' her leave was always hard. It didn't matter for how long or how far, lettin' her drive off was tough. My lil' sister was also my friend, and I worried about her all the time. I was thinkin' about the week ahead with Isabella coming back, wonderin' how much I would be seein' Rosie - would I get time to spend with her?

Then there was Isabella herself. I found myself wonderin' what she was going to be like and if I would remember her when I saw her. I doubted it; I never spent any amount of time with them when we were younger. I was brought out of my thoughts when Momma came out to check on me. I realized how late it was and headed to bed. I had to be up early for work in the morning.

The week passed as expected: Rosie callin' almost every day just to say "hi" and check in to make sure we were gettin' things ready for the weekend, askin' if we needed anything. I don't know what she was thinkin', because Momma didn't appreciate that too much, Rosie implyin' she couldn't handle things. Meanwhile, Momma was all over the house, cleanin' and pullin' old boxes out. Momma was busy every mornin' when I left for work, and still workin' every night when I got home.

Friday was no different. I ate my breakfast with Pops, and we had our coffee before sayin' our goodbyes and headin' off to the shop.

It was a regular day at the shop; we had two or three cars we were workin' on and James, an employee, was replacin' a carburetor while Pops was sittin' out at the pumps. I was in the office fillin' out paperwork, payin' bills and doin' all the tedious tasks. All the paperwork and numbers were makin' it feel like the day was draggin'; it was a Friday and the end of the day couldn't get here quick enough. On top of that fact, today was the day that Isabella was supposed to arrive.

Rosie had called around 2:00 p.m. to say she was headin' out to the house and would see me when I got home. That was about an hour ago, and I was ready to head home, but the shop wasn't goin' to run itself. At 4:00 p.m. I had had enough of the paperwork and joined Pops out at the pumps. We didn't get too many customers lookin' for gas; our main customers were locals that knew the family and came for car repairs. We were, in fact, the best shop around, and we had the best prices, so even in the hard times we were doin' ok.

It was about 5:00 p.m. when I saw someone walkin' up the road toward us. The sun was settin' and you could see the heat comin' off the streets while the obviously female form continued down the road, headin' towards the shop. I stood up and walked over to one of the pumps, leanin' against it as she approached me. The closer she got, the more I could see of her. She was stunnin', and it took me by surprise; she had long, chestnut brown hair and a captivatin' figure - curves in all the right places. She was wearin' a pair of jeans and a plain T-shirt that hugged her body perfectly. I was lost in my thoughts when she finally stopped, only a few feet in front of me, smilin' a gorgeous smile.

"Hey." She pulled her sunglasses up to rest on the top of her head. "Monroe?" she repeated the name on my shirt questioningly.

I laughed, "I'm wearin' my pop's shirt."

"Ah, well your 'pops' has quite a unique name," she laughed.

"Family name." I shrugged. "Now, what can I do for ya, miss?"

"I ran out of gas, and I was hoping to find a gas can and get some," she said as she pointed in the direction she came from.

"Well, little lady, I think I can help ya out with that," I drawled, grinnin' at her.

She smiled and blushed a little, which was a telltale sign she was not from Texas, and the thought caused me to smirk.

"I'd appreciate that, cowboy." She quirked an eyebrow at me and grinned.

_Playful, that's refreshin'; I like it. _

"I'll be right back, darlin'." I turned and headed towards the office for a gas can. I could feel her eyes on me as I walked away.

When I returned, she had her sunglasses coverin' those beautiful brown eyes while she watched the sunset. I cleared my throat to alert her to my presence and she turned, a little quickly and laughed.

"Gorgeous, isn't it?" I looked at her before turnin' back to the sunset.

"Yeah, it is," she said with a whimsical look on her face. "It's so easy to get lost in it." She seemed to be somewhere far away before she quickly came back to the moment.

"Thanks," she said as she reached for the gas can.

"I can fill this for you and give ya a ride back to your car," I said, with a smirk on my face. "The ride's free, of course." I winked at her and turned to the pump so I could fill the gas can up.

"Thanks for the offer, cowboy, but I don't get rides from strange men. Besides that I'm only about a mile away. I could use the walk," she said, returnin' her sunglasses to rest on her head.

"Ouch. I can't say you didn't wound my ego there a little, miss. Besides, a gentleman never lets a lady walk alone." I finished off the gas can and put the cap back on.

"Like I said, I do appreciate it, and no offense meant, but I'm fine, really. How much do I owe you?" She reached into her back pocket and pulled some cash out.

"If you're refusin' a ride, the gas is on me." I held a hand up, refusin' the money. "Though, I would much rather give you a ride," I said with a pointed look.

She squeezed her eyes shut and let out a huff of air; her smile returned to her face, but did not reach her eyes.

"I'm grateful for the offer, I really am, but I'll be fine." She took the can from my hand, smiled and waved as she turned and headed in the direction she came.

I was left lost for words, which rarely happened to me. She strolled up to me, took centre stage and just as quickly walked away. I was a little confused at the thought because, in that short amount of time, she not only captivated me but left me feelin' mystified, a little frustrated, and curious. All I wanted to do was know more about her.

My pops walked up behind me and clapped his hand on my shoulder. "Well, looks like that pretty lady was the last customer of the day. Wanna stop by Ace's before headin' back to the house?"

"Yeah, Pops, let's close up." We usually went to Ace's every Friday after work - they knew us, and everyone else in town - before headin' back to the ranch.

We closed up shop and headed over to Ace's. We took our usual stools at the bar. Felix, the bartender, who moved down here from Washington state, came over with our beers.

"So, you wanna tell me about that pretty gal that stopped by the shop?" Pops asked as he took a swig of his Budweiser.

"There's not much to tell, Pops. She ran out of gas down the road." I shrugged and took a sip of my beer.

"Since when did I raise you to let a woman walk?" He gave me a pointed look, his brow furrowing and lips pursed.

"I offered, Pops, and she refused numerous times, and since she wouldn't take the ride, I gave her the gas for free."

Pops shook his head. I knew what he thought about givin' out the gas, but I also knew that since she wouldn't take the ride, he was happy I gave her the gas. I was raised by my parents to be a gentleman, and I was nothin' but.

After a few beers, we decided it was time to head home. We paid Felix and headed out to the truck, our feet a little heavy with the anticipation of the women we were about to deal with.

Don't get me wrong, we both love Momma and Rosie, but, well, they are a handful, and when you add excitement to that, you'd take a little longer to get home in our position too.

As we pulled into the drive, both Pops and I noticed the red truck sittin' in the driveway. As I got out of our truck and headed towards the house, I noticed Rosie sittin' on the porch swing. I sat down with her, and as I did, she pulled out a beer and handed it to me.

"Hey, big brother," Rosie said as she nudged my shoulder with her own.

"Hey, lil' sis." I laughed, she could be such a girl sometimes.

"How was work today?" she asked.

"The usual; nothing exciting. Speakin' of excitin', why are you out here alone? I noticed a red Chevy sittin' in the driveway?" I turned and looked at the screen door, expectin' someone to walk through it.

"Bella's in the shower. She had a long drive, and after sayin' hello to Momma, she wanted to shower before supper." She shrugged and drank her own beer.

I nodded. "Wait, Bella? What happened to Isabella?" I knew, or assumed, it was the same person, but I'd always heard her referred to as Isabella.

"She prefers Bella. Momma and Daddy knew her as Isabella, so it's become a habit referring to her as that. A habit which I have to break," she laughed.

Rosie and I sat out on the porch for a little while longer, just bullshittin', when we heard the screen door slam shut. We both turned, a little surprised, to find Miss Isabella Swan standing before us. I looked at Isa-Bella and turned to Rosie, but turned back to Bella, a little shocked. I stared at her for a moment, not a care that I was blatantly starin', just takin' in her face and comin' to terms with the fact that this was the girl, or should I say woman, from the shop today who I was shamelessly flirtin' with.

Rosie laughed and stood up, muttered somethin' about me bein' a jackass before throwin' her arm around Bella's shoulder and handin' her a beer.

"Bella, this is my brother, Jasper," Rosie said, pointin' her beer in my direction, "Jasper, this is my best friend, Bella."

Bella laughed and blushed just a little bit. "Yeah, I believe we met earlier?"

Rosie looked between Bella and me a few times before finally sayin' something.

"Wait, you met my _brother,_ Jasper, earlier? Where, when and what?" Rosie said, a little shocked.

"She came through the shop, Rosie." I rolled my eyes, tryin' to play it off.

"Oh," was all she said.

We were all a little taken aback at the moment, and no one was sayin' much. Thank God, Momma saved us by callin' that supper was ready. I held the door open for the girls, not able to take my eyes off Bella as she walked past me into the house. We went into the dinin' room and took our seats, Bella, of course, sittin' next to Rosalie and across from me. Not much conversation was takin' place as Momma passed everything around. I know I wasn't bein' sly about the fact that I couldn't take my eyes off of Isa-Bella, but it seemed that she was havin' a hard time keepin' her eyes off me. This, in turn, made me smirk, which caused Momma to comment.

"Jasper, darlin', what's got you smilin' like that?" she asked as she sat back down to eat.

"Nothin', Momma. Just glad to see Rosie happy, and that Bella got here safely," I lied.

"Uh huh. Boy, you know I know better, but we can discuss this later," she said raising her eyebrows and pointing her fork at me.

"Yes, ma'am," I promised as I started eatin' the chicken Momma had made.

I looked over to Rosie and Bella, and they had apparently shared a secret because they were both gigglin'. Bella was blushin' a little, which was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen. When they noticed I was watchin' them, they both stopped gigglin' and went back to eatin'. I caught Bella lookin' up at me before she darted her eyes back to her plate.

"So, Isabella, how was the drive out here? No problems, I assume?" Pops asked.

"The drive out was nice, actually, pretty relaxing, so I enjoyed it. I did run out of gas, but I just got some from a shop and filled up. No big deal. I made it here perfectly fine," she finished, her deep brown eyes holdin' mine in a gaze.

"Oh, really? Which shop did you stop at, if you don't mind me askin'? I'm just a curious old man," he laughed.

"Well, I believe it was yours, Mr. Hale." She flashed her brilliant smile at Pops and, in turn, his face lit up; with Bella, it was contagious.

"Bella, call me Monroe. Please, I insist. Really? My shop?" He thought about it, and then the light came on.

"Oh. You're the pretty young thing that came in today? Jasper here helped you?" He pointed his fork in my direction.

"Yes, sir, he did." Bella had turned her smile on me now.

"Sir, Bella?" He shook his head. "Well, now... now, I feel I need to apologize for my son here. He was not raised to let a woman walk, and I'm sorry about that." He scowled at me before giving me a knowin' smirk_. God, here we go!_

Before Bella or I could say anything or argue the statement, Rosie jumped in, her little fire was lit and she did not look happy.

"Wait, I knew you met Bella already, but you made her _walk_?!" Rosie asked, exasperated, and turned to Bella. "And why didn't you tell me he made you walk?" She was on a roll, and I needed to jump in or she would go on forever.

"ROSIE!" I raised my voice, tryin' not to yell and upset Momma, but loud enough to get her attention.

"What, Jasper?" She was a little more annoyed than I thought. Being called Jasper was never a good sign.

"Take a breath, woman, and let me say somethin'. You got things wrong!" I held up my hands. She gave me a look as if to say "_Well,_ go on..."

"Yes, I met Bella earlier today when she stopped by the shop for gas." Rosie glared at that, and I glared right back at her before I continued to say, "But I didn't know it was Bella, your best friend. I did offer her a ride; in fact, I believe I insisted, but was graciously turned down. So, don't give me any of your crap, Rosie!" I was a little frustrated that everyone in my family would think I would act so un-gentlemanly.

"He did, Ro, and I had no idea he was your brother at the time, so I refused. My car was just about a mile down the road, so I walked. Since I refused the ride, Jasper insisted that he would pay for the gas I needed. It really wasn't a big deal. That's why I didn't mention it to you earlier," Bella added, fidgetin' with the sleeve of her shirt and givin' me an apologetic look.

"Oh. Well, in that case..." she trailed off. After that, everything lightened up, and we were laughin' and carryin' on conversations. We talked about the past and some of the things Rosie went through, like the prom and graduation. Bella told us a little bit about Phoenix, some details about school and friends, but never went into too much detail about anything, it bein' obvious she didn't want to get into the negative now.

After we all finished eatin', Momma, Rosie and Bella cleared the table and continued to clean in the kitchen. Momma told Bella to relax and not worry about it, but it seemed that Bella was just as stubborn as Momma, because she refused, claimin' "it was no problem" and she "enjoyed helpin' out."

I took my beer out to my favorite spot on the porch swing and just enjoyed the peace and quiet, the clear sky givin' a perfect view of the stars tonight. About twenty or so minutes later, Rosie and Bella came out to join me. Each had their own beer, and they sandwiched me between them. Something was goin' on; I could tell by the look on Rosie's face.

"Hey, Jazzy, whatcha doin'?" she asked in a sweet voice, and Bella just laughed.

"Just sittin' here, relaxin', Rosie. What does it look like?" I asked, deciding to make this a little difficult for her.

"Well, it looks borin' to me, and it _is_ Friday night." She traced the rim of her beer with her finger.

"It is Friday night. So?" I took a sip and finished my beer.

"Well I was thinkin' we could take Bella out tonight, show her around, have a good time." She gave me the puppy eyes, and I was a goner, but tried to fight it.

The prospect of spending some time with Rosie was excitin'. I hadn't seen her since last Sunday. I was curious to see how things went with the three of us, spendin' time together; I wanted to get to know Bella, and this seemed like a good start, but I wasn't about to show my excitement to these two.

"That sounds great, Rosie, but what do you need me for?" I asked, not lookin' at her.

"Jazzy..." she whined, "of course I want you there. We never go out together anymore. Besides, you need to hang out and get to know Bella!" she said with a smirk on her face. She knew she had me.

I looked over at Bella, who had her hands in the air as if to say, "Hey, don't look at me." I laughed and turned back to Rosie.

"Okay, Rosie, I'll go out with you ladies. Just give me a little time to shower and change, k?" I said, standin' up.

"Sure, Jazzy. We're gonna freshen up and change, too. We'll meet you out here in about twenty minutes." Rosie grabbed Bella's hand and pulled her through the screen door I was holdin' open.

Twenty five minutes later, I was drinkin' another beer on the front porch and still waitin' on the two of them, when someone pulled into the drive. I recognized the car, but couldn't think of a reason why he would be here. I stood up and went to the front steps to wait for him, when I noticed that two people were gettin' out of the car. Emmett got out, and was walkin' around the front of his car, just as Peter climbed out the passenger side.

"Now, what the hell are you two hooligans doin' here?" I asked, laughin' at them.

"Ouch, man! Aren't ya glad to see your two best friends? Ready to hit up the town?" He had his hands on his chest, feignin' hurt.

"Ah, I see. Rosie called you, didn't she?" I laughed, shakin' my head.

"Yeah, man, which makes me wonder why you didn't," Peter said, grabbin' a beer out of the cooler next to me.

He pulled me in for a hug, clappin' my back before backin' away, and Emmett pulled me in for one of his hugs. He always did that; he's known for his hugs. Big fucker.

"Well, I would've, if I was given a damn minute. Rosie cornered me and begged me to go out, then shooed me upstairs to get ready. She said they would be ready in twenty minutes, so I figured I would call you on our way over," I finished, handin' Emmett a beer.

"Wait, _they_? Who is with Rosie?" Emmett asked, a grin across his face.

"Yeah, they. Bella, Rosie's best friend from Phoenix. You two know about her, and well she moved out here. She actually just got here a few hours ago." Emmett and Peter looked at each other with goofy grins, drinkin' their beers. I just laughed.

"Well, where are they? And where're we headin'?" Peter asked.

"They said they would be back down here in twenty minutes; that was 30 minutes ago." I shrugged. "Damn women, takin' their sweet time," I said, just as I heard Rosie's voice from inside. It sounded like she was tellin' Momma and Pops we were goin' out.

"Speak of the devil..." Emmett trailed off, an automatic smile crossin' his face, lightin' it up as he watched Rosie make her way out.

Rosie came out first, wearin' her favorite pair of jeans and a red tank top that looked a little tight and a little too low for my likin' . But I've learned not to say anything; it only makes things worse. She topped her outfit off with her boots and hat.

Bella came out the door, and I just couldn't look away. She was also wearin' jeans that hugged low on her hips and a dark blue tank top that reached just below her belly button, leavin' a sliver of skin exposed. She, just like Rose, had on a pair of boots with a jacket thrown over her arm. She looked amazin'.

After Rosie and Bella finally came out, we did introductions. Bella didn't seem to like the attention all that much, but went with it. We each had another beer while we decided where we were goin'. Then we climbed into the cars and headed over to the Dancin' Bear Pub. Apparently, Rosie made some phone calls, and we were pickin' up her friends, Alice and Mary. Since Emmett had more room in his car, Rosie rode with Emmett and Peter, and Bella and I rode in my truck. We were to follow them as we picked up the other girls. Then, once we had the girls, Rosie was gonna jump in with Bella and me.

"So, Bella, what do ya think of Texas and the Hale family so far?" I laughed a little.

"I'm loving it. You guys are really close, and it's fun watching you interact with each other," she giggled.

Yeah, normally I thought gigglin' girls were annoyin', but Bella did it in such an innocent way it was kinda endearin'. I fuckin' loved it.

I laughed. "Yeah, we can be kind of crazy sometimes. Welcome to the Hale family." _Wait, did I welcome her to the family? Is that weird?_

"Thanks, I'm actually really excited to be here. And Rose talks so much about you guys in her letters. I feel like I know all of you so well." She blushed a little and tried to laugh it off.

"Well, Rosie has talked to me a lot about you. I know how much she's missed you, and she's so happy you're here," I confessed.

"Well, the feeling is mutual," Bella said, lookin' out the passenger window. I noticed a hint of sadness in her voice.

While we made stops to pick up the others, Bella and I continued to have small conversations; during the moments when we weren't speaking, we sat in a comfortable silence.

After Mary hopped into Emmett's car, Rosie jumped in with us, and the excitement in the truck immediately shot through the roof. Rosie was ready to go out and have some fun. I sensed that Bella was a little on the reserved side, but I wasn't entirely sure; I'd know more after tonight. I followed Emmett's taillights into the parking lot of the bar, and we stepped out of the car.

As soon as we walked in, we all headed to the bar to get drinks, the girls groupin' together, while Emmett, Peter and I stood and watched them. We found a booth after gettin' our drinks and sat down. Not long after sittin', Rosie and Mary were dancin' in their seats. When they couldn't contain their energy any longer, Rosie got up first as Mary followed, both girls headin' out to the dance floor.

I was talkin' to Emmett and Peter, while Alice was grillin' Bella with twenty questions. Bella looked a little uncomfortable as she peeled the label of her beer bottle off, smiling politely at Alice as she nodded along with her questions. So I took a chance and got up, holdin' my hand out for her. She gave me a strange look, and I just smiled.

"Care to dance, Bella?" I asked.

"Um...okay." She looked a little confused, but I saw relief flash across her face.

I smirked and pulled her up when she placed her hand in mine. Just as we reached the floor, "She's Everything" by Brad Paisley came on. I gave her a look, asking if this was okay, and Bella just nodded and blushed a little. _I'm growing really fond of that blush._

**She's a yellow pair of running shoes**

**A holey pair of jeans**

**She looks great in cheap sunglasses**

**She looks great in anything**

**She's "I want a piece of chocolate"**

"**Take me to a movie"**

**She's "I can't find a thing to wear"**

**Now and then she's moody**

**She's a Saturn with a sunroof**

**With her brown hair a-blowin'**

**She's a soft place to land**

**And a good feeling knowing**

**She's a warm conversation that I wouldn't miss for nothing**

**She's a fighter when she's mad and a lover when she's loving**

I pulled Bella close to me, wrapped one arm around her waist, and brought the hand I was holding to rest against my chest. I didn't even think about what I was doin'; it just felt natural. As Bella put her hand on my shoulder, I twirled us to the music, givin' me a glimpse of Rosie and Mary leavin' the dance floor, watchin' us with a shocked expression. I just nodded my head at Rosalie and smiled. Bella sighing brought my attention back to her.

We kept our steps simple, going with the flow of the song.

"So, you've met Chatty Kathy, huh?" I laughed at my nickname for Alice.

It took about half a second before Bella realized who I was talkin' about. "Yeah, she's great, so sweet, but does she ever stop talking?" Bella laughed.

"Not usually. You get used to it. Sometimes, I just tune her out, and she doesn't seem to mind." I spun us around again, noticing Emmett was leadin' Rosie back to the floor.

Just as Rosie and Emmett reached us, the song changed to "Never Loved Before" by Alan Jackson. Bella took a step back to leave, and I swung her around and pulled her into a two-step with the song. Momma taught me to dance, and I was damn good at it. With Bella, it was fun and carefree; I couldn't get enough of it.  Rosie was dancin' with Emmett next to us. The girls looked at each other and laughed just as Emmett and I twirled them around. It was a strange feelin' in the best way, dancin' with Bella. She fit in perfectly with us, and it was so easy. The four of us danced our feet off before headin' back to the table to find Mary and Peter all cozy and Alice missin' in action.

"Mary, where is the hell is Alice?" Rosie asked, lookin' around the bar.

"James showed up." Mary shrugged.

"Alice told me to tell you to have a good time, and she'd call ya'll tomorrow." Mary focused back on Peter.

"Well, ladies, you wanna head outta here?" Emmett asked with a goofy grin.

Bella and Rosie looked at each other and nodded. "Let's hit the pavement, cowboy," Rosie said, grabbin' Emmett's hand and twirlin' herself.

Bella and I seemed to be the most sober, since we did more dancin' than drinkin', so I drove Mary and Peter in Emmett's car, and she drove Rosie and Emmett in my truck. We decided to head back to Emmett's, since none of us were ready for the night to be over.

After we walked in the door, Emmett grabbed some beers for everyone and put on his favorite song, "American Honkey Tonk Association" by Garth himself. The ladies danced a little, but it didn't take long for everyone to pair off and disappear. Emmett left his mix on for Bella and me, who were left in the livin' room. We awkwardly stood there as his music continued to play.

Bella was the first to break the the silence. "I had a fun time tonight, Jasper. Thanks for that." She smiled her dazzlin' smile.

"I did too, Bella. Thanks for the dances." I couldn't help the grin that crossed my face.

There was somethin' about Bella that made me relax, stop thinkin' so damn much, and just be - it was a great feelin'. I eased back into the arm of the couch as Bella relaxed herself. We fell into an easy conversation, learnin' things about each other, laughin' without worryin' about a thing. I don't know how long we talked for, but I woke up to the music still playin', the house lit only by the moonlight comin' in through the window, and Bella.

Bella was snuggled up between my legs with her head restin' on my chest, and I was a little taken aback. I just sat there, tryin' to remember how we got like this, but nothin' was comin' to me. So I just sat there, listenin' to her breathin' and enjoyin' the moment. I sighed and Bella started to stir. I froze, not sure what to do.

Bella became motionless when she realized our position. I looked down just as she looked up, our eyes meetin', and I was lost in her beautiful brown eyes as she gazed sleepily at me, neither of us breathin' at the moment. I let out the breath I was holdin', and her eyes fluttered shut, a small smile playin' at the corner of her mouth. Before I knew what I was doin', I leaned into her. I went halfway and waited to see if she would meet me.

I heard her sigh just as her soft, plump lips grazed mine. After a brief caress, I felt her lips hoverin' over mine, and I decided to close the tiny distance by pressing my lips to hers.

As our mouths moved together, I nipped at her bottom lip a little before runnin' my tongue across it and suckin' on it. I felt her tongue across my own lip and allowed her entrance. Our tongues met, and, as I tasted her sweetness that had a hint of spice, I moaned into her mouth.

I felt her hands rub up my chest and rest on my shoulders. She shifted her position to straddle my lap and was able to do so without breaking our kiss. Her hands worked their way into my hair, runnin' her small fingers through, and it felt fuckin' amazin'. I grabbed her ass and pulled her closer as I deepened the kiss. Our tongues played off each other, our soft moans bein' cut off by the music. The only thoughts that entered my mind were of the girl that was sittin' on top of me.

I moved my hands from her ass up to her back, rubbin' small circles with my thumbs. I pulled back slightly, breathin' heavily, just to flower her jaw with kisses, nippin' lightly and playfully as I worked my way up. I reached her neck just below her ear and gave her a small kiss before I whispered in her ear.

"Wow," was all I said as I buried my head into her neck and hugged her body to my own. She let out a small chuckle, her hands still tangled in my hair, massagin' my scalp, and she kinda snuggled up to me, gettin' comfortable herself.

We were just sittin' there in the silence, takin' in the moment and gettin' lost in our own thoughts; both seemingly content in our new position. I wrapped my arms around her waist, slippin' my hands under the hem of her shirt, and held her tight. I drew lazy circles with my thumb on the small of her back as I started to hum.

As we lay there, I cuddled into her neck and she left out a soft sigh. Then her breathin' slowed, and I assumed she had fallen asleep. I closed my own eyes and rested my head on the back of the couch. As I drifted into sleep, I had a small smile spread across my face. I had no doubt that this was because Bella was curled up in my arms. _What if this never happened? _I thought to myself, wondering what if Bella had never showed up, before falling asleep.

**A/N: I would like to thank my amazing beta for getting' through this so quickly on such short notice – Misty Fate – you rock lady!**

**Also to Kim for going through this a second time for me! Thank you bb!**

**I would also like to thank Calikisses24 and Pretty_Face27 – where would I be without you two! **

**Thank YOU for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! **

**I'm considering continuing this story, but I want to know what YOU think, so please click that little green button and let me know what you think! :P**


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